TELEMEDICINE SOCIETY OF INDIA CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

Transcription

1 1 TELEMEDICINE SOCIETY OF INDIA CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

2 Constitution & Bylaws of Telemedicine Society of India (To be registered under Societies Act, XXI of 1860) 2 CONSTITUTION Article I The name of the of the society shall be Telemedicine Society of India herein after referred to as the TSI an independent scientific body operating on a not-for-profit basis and not aligning with any particular political party or religion. Article II Office of the society The office of the society shall be situated in the city where the Secretary resides. Article III Aims & objectives 1. To promote and encourage development, advancement and research in the science of telemedicine and it s associated fields. 2. To encourage and promote application of telemedicine technology in clinical care, education and research in the health sector. 3. Fostering networking and collaboration among interest groups in telemedicine technology and professionals from different streams of science, health care providers, policy makers, NGOs and industry. 4. To promote training of students, health professional, research fellows and technicians in various aspects of telemedicine. Also, to co-ordinate with academic institutions and Medical Council of India, AICTE, DOECC and regulating agencies in developing curriculum for telemedicine training courses and incorporating appropriate modules in the Medical, Dental and Paramedical training programmes. 5. To arrange regular scientific meetings, symposia, seminars and workshops. 6. Spearheading the development of appropriate clinical and industry policies and standards.

3 3 7. Disseminating knowledge in telemedicine field by publishing brochures, periodicals, and journals. Creating an exclusive web site for the society and regularly updating it with telemedicine news. 8. To work in close collaboration with scientific organizations and the industry in development and implementation of innovative products & services related to tele health. Organizing trade exhibitions during annual meetings of the society. Article IV Membership: There shall be following class of members 1. Ordinary Member 2. Life Member 3. Student / Associate Member 4. Institutional Member 5. Honorary Life Member 6. Overseas Member 7. Any other type of Members which may be decided in future as per the rules of the Society Ordinary Member: A person shall be qualified to be admitted as an ordinary member of the Society if has shown a sustained interest in the field of telemedicine and allied areas and has obtained a professional Degree / Diploma in any branch of Medicine, paramedical field, Engineering, Material Science, Life Science and humanities recognized by appropriate licensing bodies. Life Member: Any person, who is qualified to be admitted as an ordinary member may by a single payment of an amount as laid down in the bylaws, be admitted as a Life Member. Student / Associate Member: Any person who is a student and does not fulfill the criteria for ordinary membership but has shown interest in telemedicine may apply for student/associate membership of the Society to become a student/ Associate Member.

4 Institution Member: 4 Any institution may be elected as a Institution Member of the Society according to the procedure laid down in the bylaws. The term Institution shall be deemed to include any public or private company, a firm, a society registered under any law, a duly constituted trust, a statutory body, any association or organization set-up under an Act of Parliament or a State Government dealing Medicine, Engineering and any other allied disciplines. Honorary Life Member: Any person who is a renowned scientist or who has served in an outstanding manner the cause of telemedicine/ tele health may be elected according to the procedure laid down in the bylaws. Overseas Member: Shall consist of individuals from countries outside India who meet all the same qualifications of Life member. They are not eligible for election as officers, shall not have attendance requirements and will be subject to dues at Life member rate. Article V: Officers and Executive Committee The members from among themselves shall elect the officers of the Telemedicine Society of India. They shall be - 1. President 2. Immediate Past President 3. President Elect 4. Vice-President 5. Honorary Secretary 6. Joint secretary cum Treasurer 7. Members of executive committee (seven in numbers other then above) The above office bearers will have full power to act on all matters except to change the constitution and bylaws.

5 Article VI: Funds and Assets 5 The funds of the Society shall consists of 1. Application Fees 2. Membership Fees 3. Proceeds of the events 4. Contributions, donations, and grants from any source 5. Income from investments 6. Gifts or legacies of immovable or movable property Article VII Amendments This constitution may be amended by two-third affirmative votes of members present at the annual assembly, provided a copy of the proposed change has been circulated to each voting member 60 days in advance of the general body meeting.

6 BYLAWS 6 Article I Financial Year The financial year of the Society shall be from 1 st April to March 31 st of the next year. Article II Membership 1. Admission to Membership Persons / organizations fulfilling the constitutional membership requirements are eligible for membership. Application for admission to membership of the Society as an Ordinary Member or Life Member, Student/ Associate Member, or as Institution Member, or as Overseas / Corresponding Member shall ordinarily be made in writing on the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by payment of the Application fee as fixed by the Executive committee, and the amount of subscription due for the category of membership. Every application must be duly filled in and signed. Completed application forms shall be delivered to the Office of the Secretary at least one month before the Annual General Assembly. Such application shall be considered by the Executive committee who may accept or reject or deal otherwise with the same. The decision of the Executive committee will be final. The Executive committee shall not be bound to give reasons for its decisions. Membership in the Society shall commence from the date of acceptance by the Executive committee. 2. Election to Honorary Membership Prospective members for the honorary life membership of the Society shall be proposed by any two members of the Executive committee. Such proposals should be submitted in writing with the signatures of the proposers to the Secretary at least four months before the annual meeting of the Executive committee. The same will be included in the agenda of the Executive committee meeting. A two-thirds vote of those present and voting at the Executive committee meeting shall be required to elect such a member. 3. Membership Fee

7 7 All Ordinary, Life, Student/Associate, Institution and Overseas / Corresponding Members shall pay membership fee of such an amount as is determined from time to time by the Executive committee and approved by the General Body meeting. The membership fee shall be as follows- Application Fee Rs /- Ordinary Member Rs /-(for two years) Life Member Rs /- Associate Member Rs /- (for two years) Institution Member Rs. 25, /- Overseas - Life Membership only SAARC countries US $125 Non SAARC countries US $200 Every member shall pay the annual subscription for the whole year irrespective of the actual date of his/her admission to or cessation of membership of the Society. The annual fee shall be payable at the beginning of the financial year. Members who fail to pay the subscription by October 1 st will be deemed to be in arrears. 4. Cessation and Termination of Membership: The Secretary/Treasurer of the Society, shall send not more than two reminders by at an interval of not more than two months and one reminder by registered post at the time of sending the second e mail to any members whose subscription is in arrears. These reminders will be considered as adequate notices, and if the subscription is not received within two months from the date of dispatch of the last notice, the member shall cease to be a member of the Society after the Executive committee resolves to that effect. It is the responsibility of the member to notify the Office of the Society, any change in corresponding address and time to time.

8 8 Any member who wish to resign from the Society can do so by giving notice in writing to the Secretary of his intention to do so and thereupon he shall cease to be a member provided all his dues to the Society are paid. The Executive committee by a decision of two-third majority of the members present and voting may take any disciplinary action against any member on its own, or in pursuance of a notice signed by at least two members received by the Executive committee or Secretary. Any person, who ceases to be a member for any reason, shall nevertheless remain liable for and shall pay to the Secretary all debts owing, including the subscription dues. 5. Re-admission to the Society: Any person, who ceases to be a member of the Society, may be re-admitted to the membership on such terms as the Executive committee may determine as per rules of the Society. Every such applicant will have to pay the specified application fee unless otherwise decided by the Executive committee. 6. Privileges of Membership: a) All ordinary and Life Members shall be entitled to participate in all activities of the Society including the right to vote subject to the bylaws. Only life members will be eligible to be an officer of the society. Associate/Student, Institution, Honorary and Overseas Members will have all the privileges of an Ordinary Member but will not have the right to vote or nominate or to serve on the Executive committee or stand for any election. b) No member will be allowed to propose or second a nomination or stand as a candidate for any election unless his dues are cleared before the last date of receipt of nomination papers. No member who is in arrear of his dues will have the right to vote until his dues are paid before the time of voting. c) Members whose dues are not complete will not be allowed to vote, nor to present a paper in the annual conference and will be required to register as non-member for the annual conference. The receipt of payment of the annual subscription or a Xerox copy of the same will have to be produced at the time of the registration. d) Institution Member:

9 9 During the period of valid membership a Institution member can nominate three individuals to represent the company. They will be considered as ordinary members and enjoy all the privilege of the said category including voting rights. 7. Register of Members: A register of the members shall be kept by the Secretary in which membership in the various categories will be recorded setting down the names, photographs, personal websites and addresses of the members. The same will be posted in the Society website. For the purpose of the Society, the address and Id as mentioned in the register will be considered as the valid one. Any change in address and must be intimated to the Secretary and confirmation must be received from the Secretary that the necessary change in the register has been effected. Article III Terms and Functions of the Office bearers of the Society: Terms of Office bearers: The members of the Executive committee will be elected at the Annual General Body Meeting of the Telemedicine Society of India, which will be held annually during the National Conference of the Society. The term of the office bearers will be as follows:- 1. Immediate past president One year 2. President - One year 3. President elect - One year 4. Vice-President - One year 5. Hony. Secretary - Two years 6. Jt. Secretary cum Treasurer - Two years 7. Executive Members - Two years (total seven in number) Functions of the Office bearers: President: 1. Shall preside at and conduct meetings of the Society and its Executive committee and shall have a casting vote if necessary. 2. Shall supervise the general activities of the Society 3. Shall exert himself /herself to improve the finances of the Society

10 10 4. May appoint sub-committees if and when necessary with terms of references decided by the Society or the executive committee. 5. S/he shall have the right to call executive committee and general body meeting in times of emergency. 6. The President shall prepare an address to the Annual General Assembly of the Society President Elect: In the absence of the President the President Elect shall perform the duties of the President. He/ She will also be the returning officer. Vice President: shall be the chairman of the scientific committee and be responsible for organizing the scientific programme during the annual conferences Hony. Secretary: 1. Shall call meetings of the Executive Committee whenever necessary (minimum once a year), or on a written requisition of not less than 4 members of the Executive Committee or not less than 1/3 of the required members to hold an extraordinary meeting of the General Body. 2. Shall prepare agenda for and keep a record of the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee and the General Body. 3. Shall see that decisions made by the Executive Committee are carried out by the persons concerned. 4. Shall carry out all correspondence on behalf of the Society. 5. Shall prepare and issue to all members a written report of the preceding year s transactions to be read at the General Body Meeting held during Annual Conference of the Society. 6. Shall organize activities for the fulfillment of the aims and objectives of the Society. 7. May call for from any office bearer, any paper pertaining to the work of the Society, for inspection and necessary action. 8. Will take steps to improve the funds of the Society.

11 9. Shall issue notices for the meetings (postal and e mail information will be enough) Will bring out a newsletter at least twice a year which will be electronically sent to all members Jt. Secretary & Treasurer: 1. Shall, in the absence of the Secretary, have the powers and rights and duties as those of the Secretary. 2. Shall assist the Secretary in day-to-day business. 3. Will arrange collection of funds necessary for maintenance of the Society and it s activities and keep them in deposit with a bank approved by the Society. 4. Shall issue receipts for all values received for the Society. 5. Shall keep bills or vouchers and also payees receipts whenever possible for payments made by him/her and maintain a regular record of Society accounts. 6. Shall operate accounts of the Society jointly with the Secretary or the President. 7. Shall prepare and make available to the Secretary the annual statements of income and expenditure for the annual report. Also, to be responsible for getting the audit of the accounts by authorized Auditor. 8. Will be authorized to make expenses available to members for scientific, academic and administrative activities of the Society. 9. Changes of office bearers shall be notified to the bank as per banking laws. The local Organising Secretary of any Conference/Workshop organized under the auspices of the Society shall submit the audited account within six months of the Conference/Workshop and 50% of the savings should be deposited with TSI. Article IV Elections: 1. Nomination for the Office bearers of the Executive Committee will be invited in the prescribed form three months prior to the general body meeting by the Secretary. The form must bear the signatures of nominee signifying his/her approval and of proposer and

12 12 seconder. Any nominations received after the fixed dead line will be invalid. The announcement for the election, deadline for submission of nomination forms will be made available at the society website. The form should be downloaded from the website. 2. Last date for submitting the nominations will be one month before the date of the general body meeting. 3. The nominated candidates, the proposer and the seconder should be life members of the Society. 4. Withdrawal will be allowed till the time of election. 5. Election, if necessary, will be held at the general body meeting by secret ballot. In due course of time the e-voting system will be introduced. 6. If the nomination for any post is not received the name could be proposed by members from the floor at the time of the General Body meeting. 4. The returning officer will be the President elect 5. In any election in the event of a tie, the President shall have a casting vote in addition to the vote s/he has already exercised. 6. There will be no election to the post of President and President Elect.The Vice President will be the president Elect the next year and the president elect will be the president the next year. Article V Meetings 1. The Annual General Body meeting will be held once in each calendar year at the time and place of the National Conference of Telemedicine Society of India. a) Notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be communicated by the Honorary Secretary to every member of the Society at least two months in advance.

13 13 b) Quorum: 50 persons shall form the quorum for a General Body Meeting c) Adjournment: If within half an hour from the time scheduled for the General Body meeting there is no quorum the meeting shall be adjourned. The meeting can be reconvened 30 minutes later and business for which the meeting was called can be transacted.. No quorum is necessary for such an adjourned meeting. Every motion submitted to the meeting shall be decided by voting. Chairman: In the absence of the President, the President Elect and the Vice President, the members of the General Body shall elect from among the members of the Society a Chairman proterm (d) The Agenda shall be circulated to all the members at least three weeks before the meeting. The Agenda of the Annual General Body meeting will be:- To receive and adopt the Annual Report of the Society as given by the Secretary on the activities of the Society for the preceding year. To receive and adopt the Balance Sheet and Auditor s Report for the preceding year. To approve the appointment of Auditor as recommended by the Executive Committee. To receive and adopt the budget for the coming year. Declaration of the results of the election held. In case elections are incomplete the same may be completed as per rules and regulations. To transact such other business as may be brought forward by the Executive Committee or any other business that may be permitted by the chairman of which seven days notice has been given in writing. To consider any other business brought forward by or with the consent of the chairman. Installation of the New Office Bearers. 2. Extraordinary General Body meeting: Extraordinary General Body meeting may be called by the President or in his absence by the President Elect or the Vice- President upon the request of the Executive Committee or the request of 1/3 of the members of the Society. Request for such a meeting must state its objectives and must be signed by the requisitionist and be deposited with the Hony. Secretary of the Society. Notice for Extra-ordinary meeting should be sent within two weeks of receipt of request.

14 14 3. Meeting of the Executive Committee: a) The committee will meet at least once a year and at the call of the President. The President or in his/ her absence the President Elect, shall preside at the Committee meeting and shall have a casting vote if necessary. b) The quorum for the Executive Committee will be one third of the total number of members. c) The Hony. Secretary and Jt. Secretary cum Treasurer shall summon the meeting, operate the bank account, keep the books of account and present the audited accounts in the Annual General Body Meeting of the Society. d) Function of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall have the following functions and powers: To receive and dispose off the applications for membership and resignations. To take all steps necessary for the administration of the Institutions under the control of the society and to appoint, employ, dismiss, suspend staff as also to appoint, employ or remove agents, lawyers, attorneys, architects, values for any of the purposes of the society. 3. To regulate and sanction an expenditure which the Committee may consider to be necessary or desirable in furthering the objectives of the society. 4. To delegate any of its powers to such persons, officers, or employees of this section as it may deem fit for the proper and smooth conduct of the section as well as to further the objectives of the society. 5. To accept donations, subscriptions, endowments for any specific purposes consistent with the objectives of the society and or accept donations, endowments, gifts earmarked for buildings, with a view to perpetuate the memory of any person or persons whose memory the donor may like to perpetuate with objectives not inconsistent with the objective of society. 6. To make bylaws and rules inconsistent with these rules. 7. To appoint sub-committees if necessary from out of the members of the section for any specific purpose and to fix the scope of activities of these sub-committees. The

15 15 Secretary or the Jt. Secretary of the Committee shall be ex-office members of such sub-committees. Article VI Chapters of the Society: (1) For better functioning of the Society at a regional level various sub-divisions shall be formed as deemed convenient by the Executive Committee. Such divisions may be called Chapters ( Specify Region ). Scientific activities of the Society may be run in such Chapters by locally elected conveners from among the members of the Society belonging to that region. (2) Any state of the country which has more than 20 members of the Society can form a chapter by applying to the Hony. Secretary through an elected convenor/secretary of the group of members of the state. The Society will have no financial obligation to these Chapters. The Chapter will be, however, obliged to provide the Society an annual report of their activities one month before the Annual General Body Meeting. (3) Members transferring their residence shall automatically become members of the regional chapters of their new place of residence. Article VII Annual Conference 1. Conference of the Society shall usually be organized at least once each year. The venue of the conference shall be decided in the General Body meeting. 2. Secretary of the Society shall notify the date, venue of the annual conference and call for papers to all the members and post the same in the website. The conference website once established will be announced through the Society website and a link provided. 3. The Vice President will be authorized to constitute a Committee to scrutinize the papers. 4. On each day of the conference the pre-lunch sessions should be devoted to Plenary lectures, Guest lectures, Symposia and Panel discussion which will be joint session. Screening of the papers for these sessions will be carried out by the committee as above. All the free paper session will be held in the afternoon. The poster session should be allotted appropriate time. 5. Each member will be allowed to present only one paper. S/he may be a joint author on the papers presented by others.

16 16 6. All the members have to register for the conference. Accepted papers will not be printed in the Scientific Programme Book unless the member has registered for the conference. Members whose papers are accepted and who default in presentation without at least 48 hours notice prior to the conference will be debarred from presenting any paper for one year. The final programme of the Conference will be uploaded on the website by the Secretary at least a month before the conference. 7. The Organizing Secretary shall be responsible for making all other arrangements for the conference, including the budget according to the procedure laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee. The Organizing Secretary shall submit an audited statement of accounts within 6 months of the completion of the conference. The expenses of the conference shall not be met normally from the finances of the Society. Fifty percent of the savings from the conference should be paid back to the Society and rest fifty percent should be made available to the local chapter of the Society for their use in furthering the aims of the Society. 8. The annual meeting of the Executive Committee and General Body shall normally be conducted at the time and place of the Annual Conference. The local Organizing Secretary shall be invited as a non-voting member of the Executive Meeting held in association with the conference. 9. The local organizing secretary will provide local hospitality to the President, President elect, Vice President, Secretary and treasurer of the society during the time of the annual conference. 10. Fifty percent of the savings from the conference should be paid back to the society and rest fifty percent should be made available to the local chapter of the society, whenever this is formed, for there use in furthering the aims of the society. Article VIII Auditor The Executive Committee shall appoint and fix the fee of the Auditor who shall be a Chartered Accountant. Article IX Nomination of Delegates for International Conferences Official delegates to the International Conferences will be recommended by the Society on the basis of the following criteria:- 1. A member should have a minimum of three years standing in the Society

17 17 2. S/he should have attended three conferences and published at least three scientific papers in peer reviewed indexed journals during the preceding 5 years. 3. The paper for presentation should be accepted or the member has been invited by the Organizing Committee of the Conference. 4. The final selection amongst candidates fulfilling the above said conditions is left to the Executive Committee. Article X Amendments This constitution may be amended by a two-third affirmative votes of members present at the annual assembly, provided a copy of the proposed change has been delivered to each voting member 60 days in advance of the general body meeting.